Send Me The Manual
by Sasha.Rizzoli
Summary: The trials and tribulations of Olivia and Elliot's marriage. AU. Kathy and the kids don't exist.


**A/N: This is a one chapter story, so do not ask for more. This is for TStabler. Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Only own the kids.**

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"No, Liv, I told you that I wanted Lasagna for dinner, not pasta!" Elliot yelled at his wife.

It was the second time this week he'd complained about his dinner and it was only Wednesday night.

"Keep your voice down," Olivia hissed and looked their two year old twins, who were sitting and eating in their highchairs, briefly.

Elliot looked at Jaeliah and Jasmyn as they continues to eat and talk to one another.

Jaeliah and Jasmyn were identical except Jaeliah had her mother's chocolate brown eyes and Jasmyn had her father's crystal blue. Also it seemed they were mirror image twins. Jaeliah was left handed and Jasmyn was right handed.

Elliot sighed and placed his hand on top of Olivia's, on the table, but as he opened his mouth to apologize, he was interrupted.

Little Jaeliah spoke up, her little mouth full of pasta and sauce. "Mommy?" It sounded muddled but Olivia understood, only just.

"Jaeliah, honey, please don't speak with your mouth full," Olivia gently scolded the toddler. She waited for Jaeliah to finish chewing and swallowing her food before asking, "Now what did you want, Jae?"

"Why Daddy yellin' at eww? He no love eww no more?" she asked with a slight tilt of her head, her brown pig-tails with red ribbons swaying a little with the small movement.

"Yeah. Daddy being mean," Jasmyn agreed.

In response to the innocent child's question and her twin sister's agreement, Olivia bit her bottom lip. Elliot caught it and sighed. "Of... Of course Daddy loves me, babies. Daddy, uh, Daddy didn't mean to yell at Mommy," she replied before excusing herself from the table, suddenly losing her appetite.

Elliot groaned and ran a hand through his short hair. He'd promised that he'd never hurt Olivia but that's all he'd been doing the last few months and he had to admit that he was surprised that she hadn't ran off with Jaeliah and Jasmyn and asked for a divorce.

"Daddy, I'm finished," Jasmyn said, pushing a little pink bowl away.

"Me too," Jaeliah agreed, copying her younger twin's movement with her own purple bowl.

"Okay, girls," Elliot replied and got up. He took their bowls and put them in the kitchen sink with his to be rinsed before being put in the dishwasher. He then returned to the girls with a wet cloth in hand to wipe down the messy eaters. "Time to be cleaned up, girls. Then you can watch some television before your bath."

Both girls nodded and let their father clean them up.

"Okay, Jae," Elliot said and let Jaeliah out of her highchair before moving on to Jasmyn. "Okay, off you go, Jas... Okay, girls, Daddy is going to go talk to Mommy. Watch your show, then it will be time for your bath," he informed them before heading up the stairs.

*************

Olivia sat on the window bench seat in the master bedroom, just watching the heavy snow falling outside. It was actually somewhat calming for her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and ran a shaky hair through her shoulder length dyed auburn red tresses before wrapping her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees.

She didn't know how long it had been when she heard foot steps and a heavy knock on the closed wooden bedroom door.

A few seconds later, the door slowly opened and from the corner of her eye she saw Elliot walk in with a solemn, sad look on his face. "Livvie, baby?" he whispered cautiously as he closed the door behind him and slowly walked up to her. "Baby, I apologize for my behavior at the dinner table. I had no right to treat you like that," he said and sat down by her feet.

Olivia licked her lips and sniffled, refusing to look at him, deciding the snow was more interesting to look at.

With a stifle groan, Elliot laid a hand on his wife's knee, which caused Olivia to slowly peel her eyes away from the falling snow outside their window and look at him. Chocolate brown met cerulean blue.

Elliot reached over and cupped her left cheek in his right hand, using his thumb to caress the apple of her cheek. Not even losing eye contact with her for a second. "Please talk to me, beautiful. I'm sorry," he begged her in a whisper.

A tear dripped on to Elliot's thumb and Olivia leaned into his comforting touch.

"I know you are, El, but what the hell am I doing so damn wrong? Am I a bad wife? A terrible mother? What is it?" she asked and sobbed painfully, continuing to look into his eyes.

Elliot wiped away her tears and leaned over closer to kiss her on the tip of her nose. "You, my love, are a wonderful wife and an amazing, caring and loving mother. Nothing is wrong, baby... I've... I've just been a prick and I'm so terribly sorry," he assured her and planted another kiss on the tip of her nose as he caressed her cheek with his thumb again.

"Then what is going on, Elliot? Everything I do now is wrong it's some bizarre thing or another. You need to send me a manual or something for heaven sake. I'm fucking confused here," she told him what was on her mind.

"Sometimes I feel the same way, Livvie. You confuse me and I feel like I need a manual, just to understand you, babe. We've been married for nearly four years and I still feel as if I learn something new about you every single day," he said softly and gently pulled on to his lap.

Sighing in contentment, Olivia rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. "Same here, El. And it's the same with the twins. Oh, God, the girls! Where are they?" she asked in full panic mode.

"Liv, honey, they're fine. They're in the living room watching some television until it's bath time," he reassured her, rubbing her back.

She nodded and forced herself to calm down. "You want to help me get them ready for bed or have you got paperwork to do?"

"No, I haven't got any, so I'll help you get them to bed, then we'll spend some alone time together. We're way overdue for some Mommy and Daddy cuddling," he said and kissed her cheek again.

"We sure are," Olivia agreed and pecked him on the lips. "Let's get Jae and Jas ready for bed, so we can cuddle," she said and got up.

"Liv, honey, we should talk about this some more," he told her gently and grabbed a hold of her wrist to try stop her from walking out.

"No, El, let's just leave it for now while it's going good," she retorted and pulled her arm from his grip.

In frustration, Elliot sighed and got up himself, following her out of the master bedroom.

"Okay, babies, time for your bath," Olivia said, walking into the living room. "Turn off the television."

The television remote was beside Jaeliah, so she turned it off. She then jumped off the couch, just after Jasmyn.

"Rubber ducky?" Jasmyn asked as they followed Olivia up the stairs to the bathroom.

"Sure, Jas, you can have your rubber ducky," Olivia replied with a small laugh as they entered the upstairs bathroom.

Elliot had the bath running with Jasmyn's rubber duck and Jaeliah's bath doll already floating in the bubbly, lukewarm water.

Olivia helped Jaeliah get undressed, as Elliot helped Jasmyn. "Okay, babies, hop in. Me and Daddy need to wash your hair tonight."

Jaeliah groaned in disapproval, she hated it since one time when she moved when her mother was rinsing the conditioner out of her hair and she got it in her eyes, stinging them.

"Jaeliah, honey, even if you get this one in your eyes it won't hurt," Olivia promised and showed her the bottle.

"I don't care," she grumbled as she sat down in the water beside her twin.

"Well bad luck, Jaeliah, you have to have your hair washed," Olivia said and went to wet Jaeliah's hair but she moved. "Jaeliah Quinn Stabler, behave yourself. Mommy needs to wash your hair."

"No," Jaeliah grumbled, folding her arms on her little chest.

"Do as you're told, Jaeliah Quinn," Elliot finally spoke up.

Jaeliah gulped and put her arms down. "Yes, Daddy," she whispered.

"Thank you. Now let Mommy wash your hair like a good girl. Jasmyn is letting me wash her hair, see."

"Yes, Daddy. You can wash my hair now, Mommy," Jaeliah said, looking at her mother.

"Thank you, Jaeliah. Now please hold still," Olivia replied and began the motions of washing the toddler's hair.

Jaeliah, although still grumpy, stayed still so her mother could wash her.

After bath time, it was time for bed. First a story was read and then it was time for sleep.

Olivia tucked Jaeliah in and Elliot tucked Jasmyn in.

"Sweet dreams, Jae," Olivia whispered, kissed her cheek and swapped with Elliot, moving on to Jasmyn. "Sweet dreams, Jas," she whispered and kissed her on her cheek.

"Come on, baby, let's go talk some more," Elliot whispered to her, turning on the twins' night light.

Olivia sighed and turned off the overhead light. She'd been trying to put off the conversation for as long as possible but she knew she unfortunately couldn't put it off forever.

"Come to bed, Liv," he said and guided her into the bedroom. He got changed as she went into the bathroom.

She returned a few minutes later and sat on the bed to put lotion on.

"Liv, talk to me, baby."

"What do you want me to say, Elliot for months you acted like a bastard, then suddenly you're normal again?! I need a manual, one with fucking diagrams and instructions," she snapped before running a hand through her hair and sighing.

"I know, Liv, I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry," he apologized and gently pulled her on to his lap.

"El," she whined, "I'm trying to put lotion on."

"Not now, babe, your skin is soft anyway." He took the lotion bottle from her and placed it on his nightstand. "Liv, it's going to be okay. We'll get through this. I'm sorry for being a bastard," he whispered, stroking back her hair and kissed her cheek.

Olivia rested her head on Elliot's shoulder. "Yeah, I hope so... El?"

"Yes, baby?" he asked, rubbing her back.

"Why have you been acting like such a prick lately?"

Elliot sighed. "Because of our failed attempts to have another baby," he admitted.

A tear fell from Olivia's eye. "El, it hurts me too but you don't see me being a bitch. I'm sorry we're not getting pregnant again."

"Hey, hey," Elliot soothed, continuing to rub her back in soothing circles. "It's not your fault, beautiful, I don't blame you... I'm sorry for being such a prick I had no right. Let's give it six more months and if you're not pregnant, we'll see a doctor. How's that?" he suggested and kissed her head.

Olivia nodded and reached up to kiss him on the lips. "Sounds like a good idea," she agreed. "And no more being a bastard, even if we get yet another negative pregnancy test come back."

"I promise, babe. We'll work this out and we will have another baby."

"Yeah, we will."


End file.
